|
The Music of My Heart
There's
a delightful story found in 2 Chronicles 20 that illustrates the principle of
gratitude and the power of music to influence our faith. Jehoshaphat, the fourth
great grandson of Solomon was king of
Judah
. He was a good, honorable man who served the Lord - a novelty among a long line
of wicked kings. Jehoshaphat and his
people were surrounded by the Ammonites and Moabites who were ready to make war
against
Judah
.
Jehoshaphat
feared because his people were greatly outnumbered, but he didn't let fear get
the better of him. He turned to the Lord, gathering his people together and
proclaimed a fast throughout all of
Judah
(2 Chronicles 20:3). He cried to the Lord, "we have no might against this
great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do; but our eyes
are upon thee." And all of
Judah
stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives and their children
(2 Chronicles 12-13).
Then the
Lord spoke to the people through the prophet, "Be not afraid nor dismayed
by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.
Tomorrow go ye down against them… Ye shall not need to fight in this battle:
set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O
Judah and
Jerusalem
: fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them; for the Lord will be
with you" (2 Chronicles 20:16-17).
Jehoshaphat
and all of
Judah
bowed themselves before the Lord and worshipped Him. The Levite priests praised
the Lord with a loud voice, and Jehoshaphat stood before the people and said,
"Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe in his
prophets, so shall ye prosper" (2 Chronicles 20:19-20).
Then
Jehoshaphat appointed singers who went before the army and praised the Lord
through song. He didn't send out the military. He sent out praise singers! They
exhibited their faith and gratitude to the Lord through song, and as they sang
the Ammonites and Moabites annihilated each other. Jehoshaphat and his people
literally watched their enemies fall before them.
Music
has a powerful impact on our minds and emotions. The right music can make us
feel gratitude when we might otherwise feel fear. Jehoshaphat knew this. He had
his people sing praises to God so that they could maintain their faith when all
around them was chaos and destruction.
You can
have this powerful tool in your life. Today, more than ever, it's easy to obtain
wonderful uplifting music. It can be downloaded one song at a time from the
Internet or you can order it online from a myriad of sources. I've made it an
active pursuit to collect music that uplifts and inspires. If I'm feeling down
or life becomes overwhelming, I put on one of my inspirational collections and
feel renewed in minutes.
This
week, I'd like to encourage you to start building your own collection of
inspiring, faith-building music. It doesn't have to all be religious or choir
music. Anything that is positive, beautiful and uplifting will have a
corresponding impact on your mind.
To get
started, here's a few of my personal favorites. You're welcome to select from
these or look for your own:
-
Jana
Stanfield's Brave Faith 2-CD set
is a must for anyone trying to
bolster their faith and find the courage to live their God-given mission. I
purchased this CD set several years ago and I never tire of it. I've given
it away to others and they've found it every bit as inspiring.
-
Phillips,
Craig and Dean
have some excellent songs including Will
You Love Jesus More, How Great You Are, Your Grace Still Amazes Me, and
Freedom's Never Free
-
William
Joseph is
fantastic if you love piano music. You can listen to much of his music on
his Web site at
-
Sheldon
Pickering
is another one of my all-time favorite pianists. He has a unique style that
is both soothing and inspiring.
-
Stefanie
Kelly - if
you like a soulful style, you'll enjoy Stefanie Kelly. I particularly love
her song "I Know He Knows"
-
Jessie
Clark has
a wonderful voice. Some of my personal favorites of hers include Clay
in His Hands, isHiHold On the
Light Will Come, The Station, and How
Do You Move a Mountain
-
Steven
Curtis Chapman
- I love his Be Still and Know, I'll Take Care of You, I Will Be Here, and What I
Really Want to Say
-
Mercy
Me has some great songs like Here
Am I, How Great Is Your Love, In You, I Can Only Imagine
Most of
these artists and songs you can also find on Walmart.com under their music
download section, or via www.MusicMatch.com
|
